#johanssons world: price

[kusin-tisdag]

Harjo and Price

Savannah Price (48) - Ash Harjo (48)

These two high school friends were never meant to stay in a small place like Copperdale. No, they have traveled most of SimNation but have found that the slopes of Mt Komorebi is truly the best place for them.

Neither has ever dreamed of children or family life, and they have instead devoted themselves to live life to the fullest!

Ash Harjo

Just about to meet up some friends over at the bar, Ash is always on the go and ready for any social event. They still work mostly online, getting some really good collaborations and sponsoring as they and Savannah travel around SimNation. Now, both Ash and Savannah think they have found were they want to settle down - and luckily Ash has managed to strike a deal with a company that makes really cool snowboards.

Sometimes they visit her step-brother in Britechester, but mostly they tries to get him and his family to come visit here!

Savannah Price

Savannah too word remotely, now she's a programmer and bring in an ok income. She probably could focus more and build a career; but she has never felt the need.

Instead, she enjoys the life they have here - with the awesome slopes and were she can also relax and allow for her creative side to grow.

She sometimes visits her parents and brother in Newcrest (and Kevin!) or her brother back home, but she often finds that all the talk of family life, the kids schedules etc bore her.

But now, she needs to get ready. Apparently Ash has decided they should go over to Izakaya Ippai tonight!

[itwasrealtome]

BEST BELOVED

PROLOGUE — TASTE OF BETRAYAL

⚠️ DO NOT READ IF THIS MIGHT TRIGGER YOU

Scarlett Johansson x fem!OC fic | Masterlist

Summary : A young Elle returns from a forbidden walk to face her aunt's punishment after her brother Carter betrays her.

Content Warning : Homophobia | Violence | Belt Punishments | Betrayal |

Navigation :

Chapter one

Don’t miss any more chapters or info by being tagged

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PORTLAND — OREGON

March 12, 2006

Age of sixteen.

A time when innocence teeters on the brink of experience, when the world holds promise yet conceals treachery beneath its surface. In this fragile balance, Elle navigated the complexities of adolescence, unaware of the threats awaiting her, poised to disrupt her delicate existence.

As she walked back home, the memory of her first kiss lingered like a sweet torment, each step echoing her heartbeat that had quickened in that shared moment. The night air whispered secrets around her, carrying the scent of blooming jasmine that mingled with the fragrance of her own racing thoughts.

Her mind replayed the soft brush of lips against hers, the electric thrill of connection that had sparked between her and Elena Price. It was a moment suspended in time, filled with the sweetness of stolen glances and the promise of what could be.

Lost in reverie, Elle traced the path through the dimly lit streets, her senses attuned to every sound and sensation. The rhythmic beat of her heart matched the cadence of her footsteps, each pulse a testament to the whirlwind of emotions swirling within her.

With each passing moment, the weight of their shared kiss settled deeper into her bones, leaving her breathless and yearning for more. She knew nothing would ever be the same again, that the lines between friendship and something more had blurred irreversibly.

As she approached the side of her home, Elle paused, reluctant to let go of the magic that had enveloped her in its embrace just yet. But reality beckoned, pulling her back from the brink of fantasy and into the harsh light of day.

With a heavy sight, the brunette squared her shoulders and stepped forward, climbing the brick wall leading to her bedroom window and right into the familiar comfort of home. Yet, even as she closed the window behind her, the memory of their kiss lingered a tantalizing promise of what lay ahead. The warmth of that connection set her teeth on edge against the chill running through her bones at the sight of her aunt standing there, her expression a mixture of anger and disapproval.

Turning around slowly, Elle's heart sank as she met her aunt's stern gaze. Guilt washed over her as she searched for the right words to explain herself.

—Where have you been? her aunt demanded sharply.

Elle swallowed hard, her throat suddenly dry as she tried to think of a plausible excuse.

—I... I was just out with a friend.

But her aunt wasn't fooled.

—Don't lie to me, Elle, she admonished. I know you were with that girl again. How many times do I have to tell you that it's not right?

Elle's heart sank lower with each word, the weight of her aunt's disapproval crushing her spirit. She knew she couldn't hide the truth any longer.

—That's not what you think... I mean... I...

The brunette's attempt to explain herself was cut short by her aunt's stern interruption.

—Stop lying, Elle! her aunt's voice was firm, leaving no room for argument. Carter already told me everything.

The words hit Elle like a blow to the gut, knocking the breath out of her lungs. She felt a rush of betrayal wash over her, mingling with the sting of her aunt's accusation. How could Carter have betrayed her like this?

Her mind raced with questions, but she knew there would be no answers forthcoming. Carter remained silent, his eyes fixed on the floor, unable to meet his big sister's gaze. The bond of trust between them had been shattered in an instant, leaving the teen girl feeling adrift and alone.

As her aunt's stern gaze turned towards Carter, Elle's heart sank once again.

—Go downstairs with your uncle, she ordered, her voice cold and unforgiving.

Carter hesitated for a moment, casting a pleading glance at Elle before reluctantly obeying. As he disappeared from view, the woman turned her attention back to her niece, her expression darkening with anger. Elle's stomach churned with apprehension as her aunt reached for the leather belt at her side. The familiar sight sent a shiver down her spine, and she knew she was in for it.

Without a word, her aunt stepped forward, the belt dangling ominously from her hand. Elle braced herself for a punishment she knew was inevitable, the weight of her actions settling heavily upon her young shoulders.

The sting of betrayal from her own brother, the disappointment in herself for sneaking out, and the fear of the impending punishment all mingled together in a tumultuous whirlwind of emotions.

With a deep breath, Elle closed her eyes and prepared herself for what was to come. As the first strike of the belt landed, she gritted her teeth against the pain, feeling the sharp sting sear through the flesh of her back. With each subsequent blow, she endured the punishment silently, a silent testament to the harsh realities of being sixteen.

In that moment, Elle realized the risks and consequences of her actions, the fragile line between innocence and experience becoming all too clear. As she stood there, bearing the brunt of her aunt's discipline, she knew that this was just the beginning of the challenges she would face on the journey to adulthood.

•••

Taglist:

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[x--daughters-of-darkness--x]

THE GEMS Feat. Former THUNDERMOTHER Members: Record Deal Announced; 'Like A Phoenix' Single To Arrive 'Very Soon'

THE GEMS, the new Swedish rock band featuring former THUNDERMOTHER members Guernica Mancini (vocals),Emlee Johansson (drums) and Mona Lindgren (bass),has signed a worldwide deal with Napalm Records. THE GEMS' debut single, "Like A Phoenix", will arrive "very soon," according to a press release.

THE GEMS are currently working hard on finishing their debut album, but will also make time to play their second show ever at the Downtown Riot festival in their hometown of Stockholm this Saturday, May 6.

THE GEMS commented on the signing: "We are so happy and excited to be a part of the Napalm Records family. We feel very confident that Napalm is the perfect label for us to spread our music, and that we will make a great team together and conquer the world!"

Napalm Records CEO Thomas Caser added: "With THE GEMS the name says it all! The musicians are already well-known to every rock fan and we are convinced that we have discovered a new star in the rock scene. We are already looking forward to the first anthems from the Swedes!"

THE GEMS made their live debut on March 22 at Pustervik in Gothenburg, Sweden as the support act for THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA.

THE GEMS see Lindgren returning to her original instrument, the guitar. Playing bass at the Gothenburg show was THE GEMS' friend and collaborator Johan Randén.

Regarding the "Like A Phoenix" single title and how it relates to the trio's sudden and unexpected exit from THUNDERMOTHER, Guernica recently told Germany's Metal Hammer magazine (translated from German): "We wanted a hopeful and positive first single. There's a light at the end of the tunnel. This is how we felt as we struggled through this dark period of our career."

Mancini and Lindgren also noted that THE GEMS' live performances will include material from THUNDERMOTHER's last two albums, 2020's "Heat Wave" and 2022's "Black And Gold", both of which featured songwriting contributions from Guernica and Emlee.

In February, it was announced that Mancini, Johansson and Lindgren were exiting THUNDERMOTHER and would form a new band together. At the same time, guitarist Filippa Nässil revealed that she would continue with a new THUNDERMOTHER lineup featuring singer Linnéa Vikström (THERION, AT THE MOVIES) and returning bassist Majsan Lindberg. Filippa has also since recruited Joan Massing (HONEY CREEK) as THUNDERMOTHER's new drummer.

Mancini, who joined THUNDERMOTHER in 2017, reflected on her split with the band in an interview with Canada's The Metal Voice. Asked when she first had a feeling that things were not as they should be within THUNDERMOTHER, Guernica said: "It's a tough question to answer. I would say like this, that it's never been great for me. And it's been six tough years. But regardless of that, I don't regret anything. I still had amazing experiences with the band. And I wouldn't take anything back, 'cause I've grown and I've become the singer that I am. And there are so many positives to that. So even though it has been a very bumpy ride, I still think that it's been a beautiful ride. Because it does teach you a lot about yourself, and you grow as a human."

She added: "When you go through something that's tough and hard for you, you can either choose to learn from it and try to do something positive with it. And that's kind of what I'm aiming to do for myself."

When asked by host Jimmy Kay if she is saying that she was unhappy for six years, Mancini replied: "Not a hundred percent unhappy. It's been [up and down]. Definitely I've questioned how my dream of doing music and everything that I love so much and hold so dear had to be so tough. But in my mind I've always thought that it's probably the price you pay for getting these experiences or whatever. But I think that it doesn't necessarily have to be that. But like anything in life, nothing is gonna be happy and roses all the time. You go through things. It's normal."

Guernica also addressed the fact that Emlee and Mona both voluntarily left THUNDERMOTHER, once they found out Mancini was being kicked out of the group.

"It does make me feel [good], but I also felt really guilty… I felt guilty because I knew the opportunities that they were giving up because of this, but they had their own reasons," she said. "They did this completely on their own. And the problems that we've had in the band, they're not just something that is between [Filippa] and I; it's something that's been brewing and been there always. So when this happened, they also felt that it was very disrespectful towards them, being that they believed that we were a democracy and that we had a say in these things. She more or less [told] them, 'I wanna do this, and I've already found a new singer.' And that's when Emlee just said, 'I don't wanna play with another singer. And if you're gonna go ahead and do this, I'm gonna leave the band.' And that's what she did. And Mona felt the same way."

Guernica added: "I love [Emlee and Mona], and I'm forever grateful. I wouldn't have expected anything, but I also feel like I'm so blessed. Honestly, I'm so incredibly grateful that they are my new band. And they are the two that I enjoyed working with. And I have so much fun with them. And we already had two songwriting days, and we had just so much fun. And it was drama free. It was just a dream. And it's just, like, this is what a band is supposed to be."

Mancini then clarified: "We've had our differences. If you don't fight with your family and friends, that's kind of weird in itself. And we have. But we always… we say 'sorry', and we move past it. And our relationships always grow stronger and stronger and stronger. And that's, I think, the testament of a real, solid, healthy relationship. And that's how it is with them. So I'm really grateful that we have something and we get to continue playing together."

Guernica previously discussed her departure from THUNDERMOTHER in February in an interview with the "Rock And Roll Geek Show". Regarding how she found out she was being fired from THUNDERMOTHER, Guernica said: "I was blindsided. It's almost like I'm in an episode of fucking 'Survivor'. [Laughs]

"I got an e-mail [letting me know that I was no longer in the band]. I had a feeling it was coming because the week prior, [Filippa] had taken me off all our social media accounts. And I thought we had gotten hacked. I wrote to the group; I was, like, 'Girls, I think we're getting hacked. I can't get into our e-mail or Instagram — none of the accounts.'"

Asked if Filippa had any issues with Guernica's live performance or what she was doing on stage, Mancini said: "No, that's not something that I've… no information that I've received. I think that there's nothing you can complain about my performance or my singing, 'cause I've always brought my 'A game.' And if you have problems with that, I think that's strange, considering that's something that people really enjoy and respect the band for. So I think that would be weird."

Clarifying that the reasons for the split were "a hundred percent personal", Guernica revealed that "a lot of things happened behind my back, and I was the last one to know… Like there were meetings behind my back, trying to convince my fellow bandmates that I'm an awful person, I'm all these things that I'm not."

When interviewer Michael Butler noted that all the girls in THUNDERMOTHER looked like they were getting "along really well" when they were supporting the SCORPIONS on a tour of North America last fall, Guernica said: "I deserve an Oscar nomination for my acting. [Laughs]"

According to Mancini, she is still "really close" to Emlee and Mona. "We're actually really good friends, and that's the best part of my time in THUNDERMOTHER," she said. "Me and Emlee, she's legitimately one of my best friends. And Mona has become a really good friend as well. And we have a mutual respect and similar work ethic and we want the same things. We just work together. I just feel like, if anything, it's really lovely and positive that we have each other and that we all feel the same way and we all have had the same experiences and the reasoning behind not feeling great in the band as it was."

Asked how Emlee and Mona found out Guernica was being fired from THUNDERMOTHER, Mancini said: "[Filippa] had a secret meeting behind my back. She just told the girls, 'I wanna fire Guernica, and I already have a new singer.' And the girls were, like, 'Woah. Hold up. Wait a second. We did not sign up for that. And we thought we were a democracy in this band,' because that's something that we'd been told and that's how we've done everything.' So they were shocked."

In early March, Nässil shared a six-minute video in which she addressed some of the questions surrounding the departures of Mancini, Johansson and Lindgren as well as her decision to carry on with a new lineup. She said in part: "Some stuff you read online and even now in some magazines is true and some stuff has more to it," she explained. "I mean, there's a depth to what happened and it's impossible to read in a few lines or a quote from someone. And I wanna assure you and tell you guys that I did my absolute best to work everything out between the old members. I think we should be conscious in what we're saying and trust that I have done my absolute best for peace, love and rock and roll and I did everything in my power to work it out with the previous bandmembers.

"I would never throw anybody under the bridge. I think that's another private matter. What happened has been behind the curtain, so to speak, so it's not everything that people need to know about or should know about because it's just unnecessary to throw stuff at each other, I think."

"I'm thrilled to have Majsan back, who's done hundreds of shows with me in THUNDERMOTHER. She's the THUNDERMOTHER bass player. And I'm thrilled to have Linnéa Vikström, my friend since many, many years, on vocals. And I can't wait for the future."

Nässil went on to say that all the previously announced THUNDERMOTHER concerts "will happen. Not a single canceled show. Everyone has faith in THUNDERMOTHER and so should you.

"We are super stoked to tour with the SCORPIONS in Europe again and doing our own shows," she added.

Photo credit: Mikael Hultén

[amberfaber40]

Captain America - Civil War - 2016

Captain America - Civil War - 2016

Condition: Very Good to Excellent. Never folded! Free shipping within the UK. A low flat rate for the rest of the world. Size: 69 cm x 102 cm (27 in x 40 in) "United we Stand. Divided we Fall..." A guaranteed original advance 'one sheet' movie poster from 2016 for Anthony & Joe Russo's Marvel super-hero blockbuster "Captain America - Civil War". With a stellar cast including Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Robert Downey Jr and Paul Bettany, the film is the third in Marvel's Captain America / The Avengers series. It returned over $1B at the box office! This fantastic advance poster, showing our heroes in face off, has never been folded and is in super condition. It is double sided and so could be displayed in an Art of the Movies Light Box or framed traditionally. Either way, it will look amazing! We only sell guaranteed original movie posters. We do not sell reproductions. Note: This poster is priced unframed. Photos showing framed and 'in room' images are for illustration only. Please check our hi-res images and the sizing information shown above.

[filmishine]

From 1 Crore Worth Mercedes-Benz To Audi Q5 Priced At 67 Lakhs, Black Widow Actress Has A Thing For German Cars In Black!

Scarlett Johansson Car Collection: From 1 Crore Worth Mercedes-Benz To Audi Q5 Priced At 67 Lakhs, Black Widow Actress Has A Thing For German Cars In Black! ( Photo Credit – Instagram ) Scarlett Johansson is one of the most popular actresses in Hollywood and is well known for playing the role of Black Widow in Marvel films. She is among the most influential celebrities in the world. Not just…

[atplblog]

Price: [price_with_discount] (as of [price_update_date] - Details) [ad_1] When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth's Mightiest Heroes, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye, are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for a global adventure. Marvel Studios presents "Avengers: Age of Ultron," the epic follow-up to the biggest Super Hero movie of all time. When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth's Mightiest Heroes, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye, are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for an epic and unique global adventure. Marvel's "Avengers: Age of Ultron" stars Robert Downey Jr., who returns as Iron Man, along with Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Mark Ruffalo as Hulk and Chris Evans as Captain America. Together with Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow and Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, and with the additional support of Don Cheadle as James Rhodes/War Machine, Cobie Smulders as Agent Maria Hill, Stellan Skarsgård as Erik Selvig and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, the team must reassemble to defeat James Spader as Ultron, a terrifying technological villain hell-bent on human extinction. Along the way, they confront two mysterious and powerful newcomers, Pietro Maximoff, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Wanda Maximoff, played by Elizabeth Olsen and meet an old friend in a new form when Paul Bettany becomes Vision. Written and directed by Joss Whedon and produced by Kevin Feige, Marvel's "Avengers: Age of Ultron" is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series "The Avengers," first published in 1963. Louis D'Esposito, Alan Fine, Victoria Alonso, Jeremy Latcham, Patricia Whitcher, Stan Lee and Jon Favreau serve as executive producers. Characters: Tony Stark / Iron Man The benefactor of the Avengers, who is a self-described genius, billionaire, playboy, and philanthropist with electromechanical suits of armor of his own invention Steve Rogers / Captain America The leader of the Avengers and a World War II veteran, who was enhanced to the peak of human physicality by an experimental serum and frozen in suspended animation before waking up in the modern world. Thor An Avenger and the crown prince of Asgard, based on the Norse mythological deity of the same name. Bruce Banner / Hulk An Avenger and a genius scientist who, because of exposure to gamma radiation, transforms into a monster when enraged or agitated. Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow An Avenger who formerly worked for S.H.I.E.L.D. as a highly trained spy. Clint Barton / Hawkeye An Avenger and master archer who previously worked as an agent for S.H.I.E.L.D. Nick Fury The former director of S.H.I.E.L.D. who originally recruited the Avengers and continues to be a mentor and leader for the team. Pietro Maximoff / Quicksilver The twin brother of the Scarlet Witch, who can move at superhuman speed J.A.R.V.I.S. and Vision Bettany, who voiced J.A.R.V.I.S., Stark's A.I. companion in previous films, was cast again as the Vision, an android created by Ultron. Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet WitchThe twin sister of Quicksilver, who can harness magic and engage in hypnosis and telekinesis. Ultron An artificial intelligence repurposed by Tony Stark and Bruce Banner for a pilot peace program that is overwhelmed with a god complex, and now desires to pacify the Earth by eradicating humanity. Rated ‏ : ‎ U/A (Parental Guidance)

Language ‏ : ‎ English Package Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 18.03 x 13.76 x 1.48 cm; 100 g Director ‏ : ‎ Joss Whedon Media Format ‏ : ‎ Anamorphic, Dolby Run time ‏ : ‎ 2 hours and 21 minutes Release date ‏ : ‎ 13 September 2015 Actors ‏ : ‎ Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English Studio ‏ : ‎ Sony DADC ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00WJJNR7S Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ India Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1 Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ Sony DADC Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 100 g [ad_2]

[yuuiend]

Week 6 : The slow fashion movement and how the media influences it..

Today, fashion is full of contradictions. People express that they are interested in sustainability, but continue to seek out fast inexpensive fashions (Johansson, 2010). Consumers have embraced fast fashion, seduced by cheap versions of styles that graced the catwalks of Milan and Paris in the previous weeks (Wood, 2009). However, this convenience comes at a high price to both the environment and the people involved in the production process. Fast fashion is linked to overconsumption, as inexpensive clothing tempts consumers to buy more than they need, often discarding garments after just a few wears.

Fast Fashion vs. Slow Fashion

Over the past decade, the fast fashion model has flourished. Brands churn out the latest looks at breakneck speeds, allowing consumers to stay "in trend" for minimal cost. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the slow fashion movement promotes a more sustainable and ethical approach to fashion. This movement was pioneered by Kate Fletcher in 2007, drawing inspiration from the "slow food" movement, which emphasizes responsibility in food production and consumption. Sustainability is increasingly becoming a core consideration for the apparel industry, affecting strategy, operations, workforce engagement, and connection to consumers and communities (Siegel et al., 2012). While slow fashion garments may be more expensive upfront, they are designed to last longer, both in terms of durability and style.

Social Media’s Role in the Slow Fashion Movement

In today’s digital age, social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube play a significant role in shaping consumer preferences and promoting different fashion trends. Influencers, in particular, have a tremendous impact on what their followers buy, making them key players in the fashion industry. Influencers have the special ability to develop stronger psychological ties with their followers because they share more intimate content that centers on their interests and way of life (Audrezet et al. 2020). Given this, there are numerous ways an influencer may use their platform to spread the word about the slow fashion movement.

References

1.5 Lifestyle 2024, ‘Sustainable vs. Fast Fashion: The role of social media | 1.5° Lifestyles’, 1.5° Lifestyles, viewed 9 November 2024, https://onepointfivelifestyles.eu/blog/sustainable-vs-fast-fashion-the-role-of-social-media. Audrezet, A, de Kerviler, G & Guidry Moulard, J 2020, ‘Authenticity under threat: When Social Media Influencers Need to Go beyond self-presentation’, Journal of Business Research, vol. 117, no. 1, pp. 557–569. Brewer, MK 2019, ‘Slow Fashion in a Fast Fashion World: Promoting Sustainability and Responsibility’, Laws, vol. 8, no. 4, p. 24, viewed https://www.mdpi.com/2075-471X/8/4/24. Pookulangara, S & Shephard, A 2013, ‘Slow Fashion Movement: Understanding Consumer Perceptions—An Exploratory Study’, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, vol. 20, no. 2, pp. 200–206, viewed https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2012.12.002.

[assuranceusa]

The Importance of Photo Retouching Services for Actors and Actresses

In the competitive world of acting, first impressions are everything. A great headshot can make the difference between landing that dream role or being passed over. This is where professional photo retouching services can come in.

What is Photo Retouching?

Photo retouching is the process of digitally editing an image to improve its appearance. This can include a wide range of tasks, such as:

Skin retouching to remove blemishes, wrinkles, and other imperfections

Color correction to adjust the brightness, contrast, and saturation of an image

Background removal to isolate the subject of an image

Digital manipulation to create composite images or change the appearance of a person or object

Why is Photo Retouching Important for Actors and Actresses?

There are many reasons why photo retouching is important for actors and actresses. Here are a few of the most important:

To create a professional and polished look. A well-retouched headshot will make you look your best and show potential casting directors that you are serious about your career.

To enhance your natural beauty. Photo retouching can help to soften your features, remove blemishes, and even make you look younger.

To make you stand out from the competition. In a sea of headshots, a well-retouched photo can help you to catch the attention of casting directors.

What to Look for in a Photo Retouching Service

When choosing a photo retouching service, there are a few things you should keep in mind:

Experience. Choose a retoucher with experience working with actors and actresses.

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How Much Does Photo Retouching Cost?

The cost of photo retouching will vary depending on the complexity of the retouching and the experience of the retoucher. However, you can expect to pay anywhere from $50 to $200 per headshot.

Before and After Photos

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Scarlett Johansson: Johansson's headshot for the film "Her" was retouched to give her a more youthful appearance.

Bradley Cooper: Cooper's headshot for the film "American Sniper" was retouched to remove some of his wrinkles and make him look more rugged.

Jennifer Lawrence: Lawrence's headshot for the film "The Hunger Games" was retouched to make her skin look flawless and to brighten her eyes. Learn More about this services.

Conclusion

Photo retouching can be a valuable tool for actors and actresses who are trying to make a good impression. By using a professional photo retouching service, you can create a headshot that will showcase your natural beauty and help you to stand out from the competition.

Additional Tips

Get multiple estimates. Don't just go with the first retoucher you find. Get quotes from a few different retouchers to compare prices and quality.

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[archacovercosine]

well you did clock me correctly as dutch, and while I can't say if the amount of available land is the problem (most of it is still farms), it does seem that the Netherlands has one of the lowest housing price elasticities in the world [1], which leads to the fact that here housing prices are much stronger coupled to the available mortgage amount [2].

[1] Caldera, A., & Johansson, Å. (2013). The price responsiveness of housing supply in OECD countries. Journal of Housing Economics, 22(3), 231–249. doi:10.1016/j.jhe.2013.05.002 

[2] I'm unable to find a good axademic source for this, all I can find are articles and policy papers from Dutch economists who state this, but without much justification, for example here under the second subheading

i mean the true cost of houses is not determined by the material price of the house right?

what really matters in a market where the demand far exceeds supply is the amount of available money, i.e. for homebuyers what the available average mortgage amount is.

Any attempt to subsidize homebuying will be priced into this immediately

it's stupid, I think it'd be much better if housing prices depended chiefly on how much it costs to build the damn thing, but it's the world we live in.

(for renting, it's a similar story because to be viable as a rental the rent has to cover mortgage + running costs, so any new rental is in the same trap.)

[kusin-tisdag]

Price-Prescott

Jayden Price (37) - Amy Prescott (41) - Janae Price (73) - Marcel Price (76)

Emmalynn Price-Prescott (9) Braxton Price-Prescott (3)

Many from Copperdale move to Newcrest, and this family is no different. Jayden and Amy moved with Jayden's parents to Newcrest and now live close to their old exchange student-kid Kevin. And actually, their old teacher Anjelo lives here too!

Jayden now works as a teacher, his wife runs a company and the kids play around in the family friendly area!

Marcel Price

Even if he tries to enjoy being retired, Marcel still writes books. Not as many as he used to, but at least economically he doesn't have to.

Now, he prefers to spend time with his grand-children and help around the house. And visiting Sidney back in Copperdale doesn't take too much effort either. He sees less of Savannah than he wishes, but he understands that she is busy with the bustling life of traveling and exploring the world.

Marcel thinks the move here might be good for his marriage. He has never told Janae about the other women, but he sadly thinks she knows.

Janae Price

After a few years of working for others, Janae started a publishing company and took over the publishing of her husbands books. Now, they can happily live off her shares in the company - and his royalties.

Janae enjoys the life they built here, and is happy Jayden chose to have them living with him and his family. It allows her to have a great relationship with her grandchildren, and also to go over and visit Kevin and his wife!

She hopes their life here has allowed her husband to not... stray as much as he has before. She has never asked, only suspected. But even that still hurts.

Jayden Price

He hadn't really thought of Amy as someone to fall in love with. She was 4 years older than him, and as kids that had seemed like much. But when they met again, he then 26 and she 30, it had just... clicked.

By then, his older brother already had a family of his own, and maybe Jayden was just ready.

Once they had married, they both felt ready to move out of Copperdale and found Newcrest close enough.

As they welcomed their daughter Emmalynn, he and Amy had decided to ask his parents if they wanted to come and live with them. they had gladly accepted, they too having been ready to move by then.

Now, Jayden works as a teacher at his old high school and he actually loves walking it's old halls during his days (but then go home in the evening a bit further away).

Amy Prescott

Officially, she has an import business. Unofficially, she gets things in that might not always be declared to customs.

It hadn't really started like that, but to be fair - Amy hadn't always been the teacher's pet (she had gotten away with much due to her mother being the principal) and maybe she was just bound to end up in trouble. Or create it.

And she hadn't planned on falling for sweet Jayden, and bring all her chaos into his world. Now, she only hoped neither he nor his parents would ever notice how her company made that much money.

And she hopes her daughter isn't taking after her too much. Amy sees a lot of herself in the girl, but she hopes that Jayden's influence will keep her out of trouble.

Emmalynn Price-Prescott

Active and outdoorsy, Emmalynn is hardly good at sitting still. She knows her mother worries about her energetic habits, but her grandparents and father is much more chill.

And look, a frog!

Braxton Price-Prescott (3)

Braxton is always showered with love and affection, and he gladly returns it. This angelic toddler doesn't cause much trouble at all. But maybe he will learn a thing or two from his older sister? Only time will tell.

[suckmymetalmachine]

Am I the only one who starts crying at price of a mile?

[justforbooks]

Nicholas Evans, who has died aged 72 after a heart attack, was the unlikely author of the bestselling novel The Horse Whisperer (1995), which became a Robert Redford film. Unlikely because the book, set in Montana, was a first novel by a British television producer, and landmark because the book sold for a record price at auction, and justified its sale price.

Evans had previously left a successful position as number two to Melvyn Bragg on the South Bank Show, where he produced many of the flagship programmes of the television arts series, including profiles of Patricia Highsmith, John Le Carré, Laurence Olivier, Francis Bacon and, most crucially, the film director David Lean, who became a friend and wondered why Evans was making a film about him, and not something he wanted to do for himself.

Evans then co-produced and wrote a TV film, Murder By the Book (1987), about Agatha Christie and her character Hercule Poirot, played by Peggy Ashcroft and Ian Holm. He wrote three screenplay adaptations, but by 1993 a film project had fallen through and he found himself £65,000 in debt and diagnosed with a stomach melanoma.

Evans had begun writing a novel based on a story that he had been told by a Devon blacksmith, who used the term “horse whisperer” to describe someone with a gift for communicating with horses. Evans had gone to the US, to meet men who did this, thinking the story needed a western setting. “If you set a book in postwar or contemporary Britain, something shrinks,” he said. “It becomes parochial.”

He gave the manuscript of the book, half-finished with an outline of the remainder, to his friend the agent Caradoc King, who took it to the 1994 Frankfurt book fair, where it instigated a bidding war.

Dell bought the US rights for $3.15m, Bantam got UK rights for $537,000 and translation deals in Germany and Italy netted another million dollars. The film rights went to Robert Redford for another $3m because Evans saw Redford in the role of his hero, Tom Booker.

While this was happening, his melanoma was removed by surgery and his local bank manager, who had been demanding repayment of his overdraft, called and invited him to lunch.

The novel got mixed reviews, especially in the US. Virtually no critic could resist mentioning Evans’ advances; many also drew comparison with Robert James Waller’s The Bridges of Madison County. Evans himself acknowledged the influences of Cormac McCarthy, Ernest Hemingway and Jack London. The New York Times critic Michiko Kakutani called it “a sappy romance novel, gussied up with some sentimental claptrap about the emotional life of animals and lots of Walleresque hooey about men and women”.

But it shot to the top of the New York Times’ bestseller list, ranked No15 for the year despite being released in the autumn, and remains one of the bestselling novels of all time. Redford’s 1998 film, which starred the 14-year-old Scarlett Johansson as Grace, the teenager injured along with her prize horse, and Kristin Scott Thomas as her mother, who seeks out Redford’s Booker, and has an affair with him, did well but was not a huge hit.

Evans was born in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, the son of Anthony, the sales director of a motor engineering company, and Eileen (nee Whitehouse). He was head boy at Bromsgrove school, and after a year teaching in Senegal for Voluntary Service Overseas, went to St Edmund Hall, Oxford to study law, where he met Jenny Lyon, his future wife, in their first week.

After taking a first-class degree, he started work as a journalist for the Evening Chronicle in Newcastle. In 1975, he started at London Weekend Television, first on Weekend World and then the London Programme, the broadcaster’s top current affairs show, before joining the South Bank Show as executive producer from 1982 to 1984.

After Murder By the Book, he adapted screenplays for the TV movies Acts of Betrayal (1988), about the IRA, and Secret Weapon (1990), the story of Mordechai Vanunu, the nuclear bomb whistleblower kidnapped by the Israelis and imprisoned for treason, and for the Julie Walters film Just Like a Woman (1992), based on Monica Jay’s novel about a transvestite’s romance with his landlady.

His second novel, The Loop (1998), brought a wolf biologist, Helen Ross, from Cape Cod into Yellowstone Park to cope with the reintroduction of wolves; pursued by a local lothario, she instead romances his 18-year-old son and cures his stutter. It sold 5m copies.

He followed this up with The Smoke Jumper (2001), whose titular protagonist is in love with his best friend’s wife, and who exiles himself as a war photographer. Next came The Divide (2005), about a wealthy New York couple who holiday in Montana, where the body of their eco-terrorist daughter is discovered frozen in the mountain ice.

Evans and Jenny divorced in 1998. He then married the singer-songwriter Charlotte Gordon Cumming. In 2008, while on a visit to Gordon Cumming’s brother’s estate in Scotland, Evans picked mushrooms for a family lunch. What he thought were ceps were instead highly poisonous webcaps. Evans, Gordon Cumming and her brother were all placed on kidney dialysis. Three years later, Evans’s heart began to suffer under the strain of dialysis, and his daughter Lauren provided him with a kidney; Gordon Cumming later received one donated from a friend.

At the time of the poisoning, Evans had almost finished his fifth novel, The Brave (2009), about a family’s hidden secrets.

When he began writing again, thinking for the second time he needed to finish writing before he died, he said the book changed direction. “I found new empathy with the characters ... it became more emotional,” he said. Gordon Cumming released an album of songs tied to the novel, and they campaigned together for kidney care and organ transplants.

The couple lived in a 14th-century manor house in Devon once owned by the film director Robert Bolt.

Evans is survived by Charlotte, their children, Finlay and Lauren, a son, Max, from his first marriage, and by Harry, his son from a relationship with the television producer Jane Hewland.

🔔 Nicholas Benbow Evans, writer and television producer, born 26 July 1950; died 9 August 2022

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at http://justforbooks.tumblr.com

[insanityclause]

There’s a moment that every child who aspires to movie stardom dreams about. They practise it in front of the mirror: graciously thanking their parents, their first drama teacher, their favourite hamster; smiling; waving; trying valiantly to cry. No, it’s not an Oscar’s acceptance speech – at least, not anymore; it’s the moment that super-producer Kevin Feige offers you his hand across a conference table and tells you you’ve landed a Marvel movie.

Yesterday came the first reports that Olivia Colman is in talks to slip into full-body lycra and join the MCU, via the studio’s next small-screen series Secret Invasion. The news follows a recent clutch of arrivals of actresses of a similar age and calibre to Colman to other Marvel projects, including Kathryn Hahn’s show-stealing turn in WandaVision, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ surprise appearance in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

Such casting choices may once have sounded insane. Why would the woman who just two years ago won an Academy Award for her grief-stricken, crumbling performance as Queen Anne in The Favourite, and who is up for another one this weekend for The Father, choose to submerge her pristine brand as the reigning monarch of British acting, both on-screen and off-, in a barrel of brightly-coloured, pop-sountracked, quippy-scripted comic bookery?

Secret Invasion sounds even more deranged than the average Marvel project: it will likely focus on the race of green, reptilian aliens called Skrulls (Ben Mendelsohn will reprise his role as Skrull commander Talos from Captain Marvel), as they invade earth by shapeshifting to imitate superheroes. Colman as an alien reptile? It’s hard to think of a more unlikely piece of casting since Judi Dench dressed up in a catsuit.

But over the last decade, a foundational piece of Marvel’s strategy has been signing-on not just fresh-faced stars like Chris Evans and Tom Holland, but some of the world’s most serious performers: inde darlings (Mark Ruffalo, Tilda Swinton, Brie Larson), BBC-drama-grown Brits (Tom Hiddleston, Benedict Cumberbatch) and awards-laden  powerhouses (Annette Bening, Scarlett Johansson, and even Anthony Hopkins, Colman’s co-star in The Father, who is also up for an Oscar) have all rocked up in the MCU. Much as the Harry Potter franchise once was, the films have become a who’s who of Oscar after-party invite lists.

So why would the great and good of Hollywood acting willingly attach themselves to a franchise that one of the greatest directors of all time not so long ago declared to bear a greater resemblance to theme park rides than cinema? Marvel films are delightful but they are also frequently silly (inevitably, in the transition from cartoon comic book drawings to full-sized, three-dimensional adults leaping around on-camera dressed in skin-tight lycra suits and capes, some space for ridicule is opened up).

The studio is fully aware of this, which is why these films are comedies, but that does not make them any more obvious as vehicles for artists interested in rendering psychological depth on-screen. In 2012, Kiwi wunderkind director Taika Watiti told Interview magazine that he was suspicious of the way feature films can often “turn into commodities”. Yet five years later, his own Marvel movie, Thor: Ragnarok, hit cinemas.

The financial incentives to any actor are obvious and no doubt play a part but there is something even more valuable to someone like Benedict Cumberbatch – not exactly strapped-for-cash following Sherlock, The Imitation Game, and The Hobbit films – inextricably wound-up with those mega pay packages. That something is audience size. Avengers: Endgame, the highest-grossing film of all time until Avatar’s re-release in China in March last year, took $357 million at the domestic box office on its opening weekend.

In America, the average price of a cinema ticket that year was about $9  – that means, by the roughest of calculations, that within 48 hours of the film’s release, 12% of the population, or some 40 million people, had seen the film. An actress like Colman has not exactly been confined to niche audiences – The Crown is not a small show – but even so, the prospect of such unparalleled exposure must be seductive.

The dream of a Marvel movie has not replaced the dream of an Oscar – it all but guarantees it. A symbiotic relationship is emerging between the franchise and the Academy, as the popular reach of one feeds and is elevated by the prestige of the other. There is no better example of this than the tragically-curtailed career of the late Chadwick Boseman.

From a handful of critically-lauded but quietly received biopics (42, Get on Up), he was propelled overnight to global stardom by his MCU roles as Black Panther, Marvel’s first black superhero, culminating in the Black Panther film in 2018. Now, just months after his death from cancer, he is a shoo-in to win a Best Actor award this week for his role in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. The opposite of a Marvel film in almost every sense – it’s claustrophobic, literary (it’s based on an August Wilson play), and tragic – it was Black Panther nonetheless that secured him the part.

This give-and-take between superhero flicks and prestige dramas extends beyond actors: Watiti, who has just wrapped shooting on another Thor film, was nominated for an Oscar in 2019 for his German Resistance drama Jojo Rabbit, while Chloé Zhao, who is sure to win Best Director this weekend for Nomadland, has just wrapped her own Marvel movie, Eternals, which is slated for release in November.

Kathryn Hahn, meanwhile, was brought into WandaVision by director Matt Shakman, better known for directing prestige shows like Mad Men and Succession. His vision, in collaboration with the writer Jac Schaeffer, led to a formally wildly innovative show, providing the opportunity for Hahn and the show’s pair of stars Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany – both outstanding actors – to flex their comic and creative muscles. Such starpower behind the camera is itself an attraction for actors of Colman’s calibre, and while there is as yet no word on who will direct Secret Invasion, there are many exciting possible names in the mix.

A few powerhouse industry figures were instrumental in fostering this mutually-beneficial relationship. The first was Robert Downey Jr, the original posterboy of the franchise. When he agreed to star in the first film, 2008’s Iron Man, it was a huge gamble – director Jon Favreau had to battle the studio to accept him – as he emerged from a wilderness decade marred by drug addiction, but it was also a huge coup. Downey Jr had just been nominated for an Oscar for Ben Stiller’s comedy Tropic Thunder and had recently starred in David Fincher’s instant cult-classic Zodiac; his personal reputation may have been in tatters, but as a serious actor, he brought chops.

His Iron Man would become the emotional and dramatic heart of the franchise over its next three phases. Kenneth Branagh, who directed the 2011 film Thor, also bridged the gap between the big flashy studio and his own thespy circle: he brought his protégé Tom Hiddleston, who at that point was best known for his British TV and theatre work, onboard to play Loki, a decision that Feige apparently described as the most important the studio would ever make. Hiddleston capitalised on rather than abandoned his roots: he approached the character like “a comic book version of Edmund in King Lear, but nastier.” It paid off: Hiddleston is a global superstar, frequently touted as the next James Bond, and his dedicated Loki spin-off show is the Marvel TV release of the summer.

Of course, there’s one thing that Marvel offers its actors that money simply can’t buy: a bit of fun. “If my actors aren’t having a good time on set, then I’m doing something wrong,” Waititi told Polygon in 2016. Reflecting on her playfully heightened performance in the early episodes of WandaVision in a recent interview with the New York Times, Hahn said that her husband said her performance had reminded him of her younger self in her college days. “I haven’t seen that part of you in so long – just you, hamboning it,” he told her. Colman, who is by all accounts is a mischievous on a film set, may simply want to bust out of those period costumes, slip into a bodysuit, and have a good time.

[allthefilmsiveseenforfree]

Black Widow

I don’t think anything is as frustrating to me in the MCU as the way it has done Natasha Romanoff dirty. Nine years after Natasha became more than just a sexpot spy in a catsuit and actually got to help save the world in The Avengers, here we are with her very own movie, approximately eight years too late. If I sound bitter, it’s because I am. Endgame left a bad taste in my mouth, and I wasn’t sure why I should even care about a new MCU story set in the recent past about a woman the Marvel movies really haven’t known what to do with in any meaningful way since the bright shining glory that was Winter Soldier. But, you give me Rachel Weisz and Florence Pugh and David Harbour as a Russian spy found family, and I’m willing to at least hear you out. 

Spoiler-free synopsis: Basically, after the events of Civil War, Natasha (Scarlett Johansson) is on the run and someone comes looking for a package she has in her possession. That leads her to steal the contents of the package and hunt down its origins - her original family, a group of deep undercover Russian spies (Weisz, Harbour, and unknowing baby sister Pugh). In the process of getting the band back together, Nat learns the truth about a job from her past and the bulk of the movie is her going on a mission to make things right with bickering family of grumpy Russians in tow. The action scenes are tight, with some truly breathtaking sequences (an aerial fight near the end is a real knockout). Pugh is the MVP of the film, taking the role of comic relief as well as the emotional core, and her performance as Yelena is worth the price of admission alone. Weisz could step on my face and I’d say thank you, as per usual. Cate Shortland’s direction is competent, but nothing to write home about - she keeps the action moving, the pace brisk, and she lets the emotional beats breathe, so I suppose the movie’s unremarkable direction is probably a sign that it’s more good than bad. Her vision is strongest when she’s engaging with the theme of the subjugation of women and the trail of broken bodies that subjugation leaves in its wake.

As for the story itself, I enjoyed it because I care about Natasha and I crave more than anything more opportunities for her to be herself (not some pointless eye candy or over-the-top seductress as a form of nerd wish fulfillment), which this movie delivers. But even in her own movie, I couldn’t help but feel the shadow of the rest of the Avengers looming large in ways they don’t in say, an Iron Man or a Thor movie. All the payoffs to things we’ve heard about in Nat’s backstory - Budapest, Dreykov’s daughter - come from ensemble movies, and there are a ton of visual references and homages that can’t be coincidental to Black Panther, Captain America, and the SHIELD helicarrier from The Avengers. At least this movie has some Very Good Pigs as a highlight too. 

Is this a good Black Widow movie? Yeah, I think so! I enjoyed my time and I’m glad it was made. Is it the best Black Widow movie? Nah, that’s still Winter Soldier. Is it the Black Widow movie we deserved? Absolutely not, because we deserved one eight years ago. Maybe in some other timeline in the multiverse folks got that movie, and they got to live in a world where Nat wasn’t an afterthought in her own damn franchise. 

If you liked this review, please consider reblogging or subscribing to my Patreon! For as low as $1, you can access bonus content and movie reviews, or even request that I review any movie of your choice.

[hatterstan-shameblog]

Oh yeah? A random head canon? Well, this is more of an idea but still-

Okay, Hatter hiring Tatta to work at his hat shop because hat squad~✨Tatta is the hat son. :3

OOOOOH BUDDY OKAY this is getting a lil somethin-somethin

The Apprentice

Rating: PG (for Tatta for being a beautiful and wholesome boy)

Relationships: None (Hatter/Aguni implied because it’s basically always gotta be implied)

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

“So, uh,” Aguni asks, “how’s the new guy doing?”

It’s a beautiful Thursday afternoon. The birds are singing, the sun is shining…and, perhaps most importantly, Aguni and Takeru are splitting a bucket of fried chicken with a side of potato wedges, and two fresh-from-the-oven biscuits.

“Splendidly,” Takeru says, sinking his teeth into an extra-crispy chicken leg and smirking around the audible crunch sound that echoes against his teeth.

Aguni nods and twists the top of his biscuit off of the bottom.

“You’re not working him too hard, are you?”

“Mori,” Takeru says between lip-smacking bites, “I would never!”

Just then, a young be-hatted head pokes out from behind the back door. A handsome young fellow, with shaggy hair and a hopeful look in his eye—why, even Aguni, in all his gruff distrust of strangers, can’t help but find him charming.

“Mr. Danma, sir,” the energetic young man says, “the new shipment just came in! Shall I place it in the stock room, or would you like to look at it now?”

Takeru smiles, setting down his half-eaten drumstick and wiping his mouth on one of the flimsy paper napkins that came with their meal.

“The stock room, I think,” he replies, “we’ll go through it together after my meeting with Mr. Aguni.”

“Oh, so lunch with me counts as a ‘meeting’ now,” Aguni scoffs, “didn’t realize I got a promotion.”

“Yes, well…”

Takeru picks up a potato wedge and studies it for a moment. He frowns, then puts it back and selects a second, (apparently) more suitable option, which he dunks into a plastic container of ketchup.

“The newest associate at Hat Danma LLC has informed me that our lunch meetings may be tax deductible,” Takeru explains, gesturing with the ketchuped wedge in his hand, “If I count this as a business luncheon, I can write it off on taxes and get a refund.”

“Refund for what? I’m the one who bought the chicken,” Aguni argues, shoving his hand into the bucket for another deep-fried morsel, “I spend the money, and you reap the benefits?”

“Uh, yeah,” Takeru says, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world, “that’s how it works.”

“Fine,” Aguni mumbles, “but you’re using your technically-fraudulent earning to take me somewhere nice.”

“Oh, yeah, okay,” Takeru shoots back, “I would love to know what, pray tell, is your idea of ‘somewhere nice’ that isn’t the Shibuya Denny’s.”

“The staff is polite and the prices are reasonable,” Aguni huffs, slathering a half-melted pat of butter onto his biscuit, “besides, every time we’re there, Akiko makes sure we have fresh coffee. How dare you imply that we don’t have a nice time at the Shibuya Denny’s…”

“Uh, I’m sorry to interrupt again—“

Aguni and Takeru table their squabble in favor of looking up at the young man who has, once again, stuck his head out from the back door.”

“Ah, Tatta, my dear,” Takeru says, “my favorite employee…”

“He’s your only employee,” Aguni grumbles, taking a sulky chomp out of his well-buttered biscuit.

Takeru smacks Aguni’s knee lightly in reprimand, but otherwise remains his usual perky self.

“I just wanted to let you know,” Tatta says carefully—almost nervously, but maybe that’s just his golden-retriever-like energy taking, “the Yamato’s have just ordered an additional two fedoras for the wedding. I know I should have asked you first, but…I paid an extra 1,000 yen for expedited shipping to Osaka, just to be sure the order gets there in time.”

“As you should have,” Takeru concludes, offering his new apprentice a nod of approval, “I’m pleased to know that you can handle an emergency situation with grace and tact.”

Tatta beams—a big, bright smile that stretches the corners of his lips to dig into the slight plump of his cheeks.

“Thank you, Mr. Danma, sir,” he responds, “I’m just glad I can be of help!”

“I have a way you can help me further,” Takeru says, that irresistible little lilt in his voice that has gotten more than one person into a heap of trouble, “if you’re willing, of course…”

“Of course,” Tatta replies, “I’ll do whatever you need!”

Aguni rolls his eyes. Of course Takeru likes him; the boy is all but begging for his approval. Nothing feeds the older man’s ego more than a young fellow looking up to him.

“My associate and I were just talking,” Takeru says smoothly, “and it seems we’re at a bit of an impasse. We’re looking for somewhere…hm, a bit more upscale for our next tete-à-tete.”

“Oh, well, I dunno,” Tatta says nervously, shoving his hands into his pockets, “I, uh, I don’t really go to too many fancy places.”

“Neither do we, son,” Aguni says with a sigh, “neither do we…”

“Oh, wait! I have an idea,” the vivacious young man says, “I mean, I don’t know if you’ll like it, but…”

“Aren’t you sweet,” Takeru coos, “See, Mori-chan, you don’t have to be so grumpy all the time. Why, you could benefit from—“

“Let the kid talk,” Aguni interjects. He wordlessly reaches into the bucket and pulls out another piece of chicken and holds it out for Tatta to take.

“Oh, uh,” Tatta says nervously, “are you sure?”

“Go on! The thigh is the best part,” Takeru insists, then chuckles to himself, “of the chicken and…of a lover.”

“Oh my God.”

“Breasts,” Tatta says quickly, “they’re, uh, they’re good too. On a chicken! I was talking about chicken…”

Takeru points at his bashful new protege, who’s now nibbling on the deep-fried breading and trying to hold back a blush.

“You, my young friend, are a man of culture,” Takeru turns to look at Aguni, “wherever he says to go, we’re going.”

Tatta full-on blushes at that.

“Well, uh,” he says, “The only place that really comes to mind is the bar from Lost in Translation…”

Aguni raises his brow in surprise.

“You mean the one with Bill Murray and Scarlet Johansson?”

“Yeah, that one,” Tatta says with a smile, “I just watched it last night and I thought the place looked really cool! It’s got that really great view of the city, and it’ll only be better when it’s dark and you can see all the lights!”

“Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant,” Takeru exclaims, “Mori, you’ll have to break out the suit.”

“The suit is a privilege,” Aguni responds, “I’m not convinced you’ve earned the right to see me in it…”

“So you’ll be wearing the black,” Takeru muses, his attention shifting back to the young man munching on his impromptu lunch, “and I, of course, will be wearing the red. But what about him?”

Tatta fumbles with his chicken.

“Wait,” he asks, “you mean I’m coming with—“

“Normally, I’d suggest the blue,” Takeru continues, “but I’m just not sure…”

“Put him in the olive,” Aguni suggests, “he looks to be about the right height for it.”

Takeru beams.

“Mori, I could kiss you,” he begins to say, but then his eyes slip sideways to see Tatta standing there, “but I won’t, because this is a business meeting and that is not something that professionals do at the office.”

“Well I’m busy eating, so…”

“Wait, uh, guys—“

Aguni and Takeru pause and look at the uncomfortable young man before them. Tatta shifts from one foot to the other, gaze fixed on his scuffed sneakers.

“I can’t go,” Tatta half-mumbles, “I’m sorry but…my shift doesn’t end until nine, and I need the paycheck, so…”

“You,” Takeru says, “are so goddamn precious.”

“Keep him on the clock,” Aguni tells Takeru, “count it as a business dinner. Hell, you could even pay him overtime to carry your drunk ass home.”

Takeru claps his hands together in glee.

“Oh, that is a genius move,” he says.

Takeru leans forward, resting his chin on his elbow and looking up at Tatta.

“What do you say, Cinderella,” Takeru asks him, “will you give up your chores for a few hours and let your fairy godfathers take you out for a truly legendary Boys’ Night out?”

“Hanging out with two middle-aged men at an overpriced bar is hardly a Cinderella moment,” Aguni grumbles, “but, hey, if you wanna come along, we’d be happy to have you.”

“Wow! Thanks,” Tatta says, sounding honest-to-goodness excited about the prospect of going out with his boss and his boss’ friend, “I, uh, I guess I’ll get back to the shop! I’ve got a lot to do if we’re closing early!”

And with a quick bow and an exuberant bite of his chicken, he turns on his heel, heading back into the depths of the hat shop to organize ribbons and restock shelves.

“Just adorable,” Takeru clucks, “Like a puppy that can do basic math and knows not to chew on my shoes.”

“I like him,” Aguni says, wiping his hands on his jeans, “kinda weird that he’s so enamored with you, but that aside, I think he’s a fine young man.”

“Well, what can I say? I have an eye for talent,” Takeru sets his now-finished chicken leg on his plate, “So, you’ll pick us up at six?”

Aguni tries to grimace, but a reluctant smirk sneaks its way onto his lips.

“If I must…”